My son likes to play minecraft and we are looking at getting him his own "starter" laptop for simple school work and to play the game. They both have the same memory and storage, but have different processors and graphics. Will both work, will one be significantly better? Would appreciate any feedback on the options below.
I don't know what your price range is, as Bluemadness has said. However, I recently purchased a Toshiba Satellite S70, one of the newer models, for a little under $400. I totally recommend it, as the processor works perfectly on Minecraft, and never gives issues with it. It's on the lower end of the price spectrum, but still delivers with 8 GB RAM and 750 GB hard disk space. You'll save a bit of money and will still get all the processing power you'll need.
The only precautions you must make with buying a new laptop are these - when buying a laptop with Windows 8, your computer may have a tendency to turn itself off at random times. This has caused me to lost considerable amounts of schoolwork and sanity. Make sure the one you do buy isn't a lemon, and you'll never have problems with it.
It depends on how old he is, and what sort of programs, aside from Minecraft, which isn't too intensive on CPU, he'll be installing and using.
Mac does provide an excellent interface, and runs platform-specific programs very well. However, Minecraft tends to run into more issues with Mac operating systems. I'm unsure if Bluemadness has encountered any of these before, but I've heard of multiple accounts of game-breaking issues.
If you're looking for something for schoolwork and purely to play Minecraft, a Mac isn't necessary. The price range for Macs is a killer, as most are unable to afford such a high-end PC. You won't need the features that come from a Mac if your intended use is simple work and play. My advice for you is to read reviews on different computers, do lots of comparing and contrasting, and decide on exactly what features you need or don't need. Then, you'll have narrowed it down enough that any choice you'll make is sure to please your son.
Go with the Samsung. It'll perform much better then the Gateway. It should run Minecraft in high settings while the Gateway will run it in low settings/not at all.
Of the two listed, I would go with the A8 APU as the APU's perform very well for what they are. Of course, a more precise price range from the OP would help us to help you.
Off Topic: I wouldn't call Macs high end in the sense that they perform in the upper echelon of laptops. They are certainly high end in the fact that they cost twice that of a similarly specced laptop would cost. I'll just stop ranting about Macs because I don't want to start a flame war, but to the OP; I would not recommend a Mac for the given scenario.
Off Topic: I wouldn't call Macs high end in the sense that they perform in the upper echelon of laptops. They are certainly high end in the fact that they cost twice that of a similarly specced laptop would cost.
It depends on how old he is, and what sort of programs, aside from Minecraft, which isn't too intensive on CPU, he'll be installing and using.
Mac does provide an excellent interface, and runs platform-specific programs very well. However, Minecraft tends to run into more issues with Mac operating systems. I'm unsure if Bluemadness has encountered any of these before, but I've heard of multiple accounts of game-breaking issues.
If you're looking for something for schoolwork and purely to play Minecraft, a Mac isn't necessary. The price range for Macs is a killer, as most are unable to afford such a high-end PC. You won't need the features that come from a Mac if your intended use is simple work and play. My advice for you is to read reviews on different computers, do lots of comparing and contrasting, and decide on exactly what features you need or don't need. Then, you'll have narrowed it down enough that any choice you'll make is sure to please your son.
I hope I was helpful!
I myself have encountered nothing but that I run out of ram quickly trying to run minecraft and other applications, which I assume happens with every device.
However, my brother has encountered several glitches, such as clicking without telling him, freezing up, and disconnecting him (All which happen only in minecraft)
However, macs are a setback because most minecraft tutorials (How to install mods and such) are for PC.
Macs are aesthetically more pleasing then any other platforms i've seen, and they don't get viruses (At least most viruses, nothing is perfect)
The aesthetics of a computer, building, picture, etc. are all personal preferences and opinions, and because OS X holds a much smaller market share then Windows much fewer viruses are coded for it, although the myth that they cannot get viruses is completely untrue.
The aesthetics of a computer, building, picture, etc. are all personal preferences and opinions, and because OS X holds a much smaller market share then Windows much fewer viruses are coded for it, although the myth that they cannot get viruses is completely untrue.
Not to mention that Macs are just blatantly overpriced.
Not to mention that Macs are just blatantly overpriced.
I was just responding to the comments he made about Macs in general, it's pretty common knowledge that top name brands overprice their products by a lot and can get away with it because the logo makes the product "cool".
Macs are aesthetically more pleasing then any other platforms i've seen, and they don't get viruses (At least most viruses, nothing is perfect)
Macs are certainly not complicated, it is completely based on opinion.
I consider PCs more complicated, simply because I don't use them, I assume this to be the case with you and macs.
You're wasting your time. No one will relent. Confirmation bias frolicks and rollicks, heuristic feasts, groupthink gorges with Italian liquors... Balderdash, prevarication! Milgram (and Osama Bin Laden) would laugh.
I remember that someone--his username starts with "S," I think--interpreted my "Apple has advantages and is worth a look" argument as "we should pay Apple's tax because of its brand name." That might have been the funniest miscontrual of a position I had read that week.
My son likes to play minecraft and we are looking at getting him his own "starter" laptop for simple school work and to play the game. They both have the same memory and storage, but have different processors and graphics. Will both work, will one be significantly better? Would appreciate any feedback on the options below.
Gateway NE52207u
-AMD Dual Core Processor E1-2500
-AMD Radeon HD 8240 graphics
Samsung 355V5C-A01
- AMD Quad-Core A8
- AMD Radeon HD 7520G graphics
Thanks
The only precautions you must make with buying a new laptop are these - when buying a laptop with Windows 8, your computer may have a tendency to turn itself off at random times. This has caused me to lost considerable amounts of schoolwork and sanity. Make sure the one you do buy isn't a lemon, and you'll never have problems with it.
However, my macbook pro 13 incher (mac laptop) costed 1000 dollars, which I assume is out of your price range for a "starter laptop".
But then again, if you're going to buy him a laptop, it might as well be a good one.
Mac does provide an excellent interface, and runs platform-specific programs very well. However, Minecraft tends to run into more issues with Mac operating systems. I'm unsure if Bluemadness has encountered any of these before, but I've heard of multiple accounts of game-breaking issues.
If you're looking for something for schoolwork and purely to play Minecraft, a Mac isn't necessary. The price range for Macs is a killer, as most are unable to afford such a high-end PC. You won't need the features that come from a Mac if your intended use is simple work and play. My advice for you is to read reviews on different computers, do lots of comparing and contrasting, and decide on exactly what features you need or don't need. Then, you'll have narrowed it down enough that any choice you'll make is sure to please your son.
I hope I was helpful!
http://www.amazon.com/ASUS-K55N-DS81-15-6-Inch-Laptop-Black/dp/B00B7K11MI
Did you seriously just say that?
He was deciding between an e series and an a8, the a8 is definitely not cheaper than the k55n
I think you missed the entire OP
Off Topic: I wouldn't call Macs high end in the sense that they perform in the upper echelon of laptops. They are certainly high end in the fact that they cost twice that of a similarly specced laptop would cost. I'll just stop ranting about Macs because I don't want to start a flame war, but to the OP; I would not recommend a Mac for the given scenario.
So they're essentially high-end only in price.
I myself have encountered nothing but that I run out of ram quickly trying to run minecraft and other applications, which I assume happens with every device.
However, my brother has encountered several glitches, such as clicking without telling him, freezing up, and disconnecting him (All which happen only in minecraft)
However, macs are a setback because most minecraft tutorials (How to install mods and such) are for PC.
Untrue... Sort of.
Macs are aesthetically more pleasing then any other platforms i've seen, and they don't get viruses (At least most viruses, nothing is perfect)
Macs are certainly not complicated, it is completely based on opinion.
I consider PCs more complicated, simply because I don't use them, I assume this to be the case with you and macs.
Not to mention that Macs are just blatantly overpriced.
You're wasting your time. No one will relent. Confirmation bias frolicks and rollicks, heuristic feasts, groupthink gorges with Italian liquors... Balderdash, prevarication! Milgram (and Osama Bin Laden) would laugh.
I remember that someone--his username starts with "S," I think--interpreted my "Apple has advantages and is worth a look" argument as "we should pay Apple's tax because of its brand name." That might have been the funniest miscontrual of a position I had read that week.
So you're telling me that this:
looks better than this:
That's an opinion.
No, I consider Macs more complicated because it's irritatingly hard to get basic tasks done in it that you can easily get done on PC.